Hula Hoop Exercise
The term hula hoop usually takes us back to our childhood days where hula hoop was one of the best toys to play with. But what exactly is a hula hoop? Well, it is a huge hoop formed of plastic, wood or rubber, used by whirling it around one's waist. Hence, hula hoop exercise routines are basically performed by swirling the hoop around the waist and keeping the hoop from falling down through swaying your hips. But the hoops that we used in our childhood and the ones used for exercise routines are quite different. The exercise hoops usually weigh more, are heavier and slower to rotate in order to provide a better workout. Also they are wider, having a diameter of about 35 - 42 inches. Hence, before starting the exercises, make sure you have the right equipment.
Hula Hoop Exercise Benefits
Hula hoop is an excellent exercise equipment that helps to shed excess fats from the stomach and tone up the core muscles. These exercises provide you a healthy cardiovascular workout and improve the oxygen and blood flow in the body. Also these exercises work up your torso muscles, and keep you fit by boosting your energy levels through getting your heart rate up. Along with these, hula hoop exercises benefit by increasing your spinal flexibility and body and mind coordination.
Hula Hoop Exercises
Before starting these exercises ensure that you have the right sized hoop. Remember the bigger the hoop, the slower it will spin around the body and so, it is easier to use. Whereas, the smaller the hoop, the more difficult it is to used.
Exercise 1
Unlike other exercise programs where one has to stand with one's feet side by side, here you have to put one foot in front of the other. Start by keeping the hoop against your back at your waist and give a small push to rotate it around your waist. At the same time, move your weight back and forth between your front and back foot to keep the hoop whirling. Ensure that you don't move your hip in a circular motion as it stops the hoop from rotating. This exercise is highly effective in burning the extra fat around your waistline as well as tightening your stomach muscles.
Exercise 2
This exercise is used to tone or shape the arm muscles and is performed by first extending your arm to the side and then rolling the hoop in a circular motion around the arm. The exercise works by tightening the arm muscles and shedding the excess body fat.
Exercise 3
Just like the arm exercise, you can do hula hoop exercise for legs as well. Keep your leg perpendicular to the ground or at a slight angle and start spinning the hoop around your leg for a minute or so.
Exercise 4
This exercise is used to tone the hip region and is performed similar to the hula hoop waist exercise. However, the only difference is that you have to spin the hoop around the hips in place of your waist.
These were some simple exercises to burn calories that can be performed easily without the need of a physical trainer. Once you get a hand of these exercises, you can intensify the exercise routine by using a heavy weighted hula hoop or two hoops simultaneously. Try performing these fun to do exercises for a couple of weeks and I am sure you will see and feel healthy changes in you.
